Over-Ear
Abyss Diana V3 DZ (Stealth)
84Great
$3995
Full review dataAbyss Diana V3 DZ (Stealth) vs STAX SR-X9000: which should you buy?
On aggregated review scores the STAX SR-X9000 comes out ahead with an HearWiki score of 88. The full breakdown - sub-scores, specs and what reviewers actually said - is below.
Our pick: STAX SR-X9000 - Outstanding overall at around $5050.
Over-Ear
STAX SR-X9000
88Outstanding
$5050
Full review dataScore breakdown
Each axis is a 0–10 blend of what reviewers scored, not a lab measurement.
Abyss Diana V3 DZ (Stealth)
Sound8.7
Value6.5
STAX SR-X9000
Sound9.5
Value5.0
Specifications
| Spec | Abyss Diana V3 DZ (Stealth) | STAX SR-X9000 |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Over-Ear | Over-Ear |
| Price (USD) | $3995 | $5050 |
| HearWiki score | 84 / 100 · Great | 88 / 100 · Outstanding |
| Released | 2024 | 2021 |
| Audio | ||
| Driver | planar | electrostatic |
| Driver size | 63 mm | - |
| Drivers per side | 2 | 2 |
| Frequency response | 5Hz-65kHz | 5Hz-42,000Hz |
| Impedance | 50 Ω | 145000 Ω |
| Sensitivity | 92 dB/mW | - |
| Wireless | ||
| Multipoint pairing | No | No |
| Features | ||
| Active noise cancelling | No | No |
| Design | ||
| Weight | 379 g | 432 g |
| Detachable cable | Yes | - |
| USB-C | No | - |
| Model code | Diana DZ | - |
What reviewers said
Abyss Diana V3 DZ (Stealth)
The Abyss Diana V3 DZ (Stealth) is a premium open-back planar headphone that delivers an impressively wide, holographic soundstage and refined, neutral tonality. It builds on earlier Diana models with improved clarity, separation, and a lighter frame, though it demands a powerful amplifier to truly shine. While its technical performance is a clear step up, the missing premium case from previous versions is a notable downgrade for the price.
- Pro:Spacious, holographic soundstage
- Pro:High resolution with strong clarity
- Pro:Lightweight and comfortable build
- Con:Requires substantial amplification
- Con:No included premium carry case
- Con:High price point
STAX SR-X9000
The STAX SR-X9000 is a top-tier electrostatic headphone that excels at revealing fine detail, ambient cues, and instrumental nuance, delivering an exceptionally transparent and spacious soundstage. It offers outstanding speed, transient response, and realism, making it ideal for classical and spatially demanding music. However, it requires a dedicated energizer/driver unit, pushing the total system cost far beyond the already steep headphone price.
- Pro:Exceptional detail retrieval and transparency
- Pro:Huge, three-dimensional soundstage with precise imaging
- Pro:Fast transient response and realistic timbre
- Con:Requires separate electrostatic driver unit
- Con:Very high total system cost
- Con:No noise cancellation or wireless convenience
Summaries are AI-condensed and paraphrased from published reviews and specs - not original hands-on testing. More on our method.
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